Too Expensive For Your Bar Gig

Baxter and Jonathan are talking about how much killer gear we are seeing at the bar gigs. It's not uncommon to see 10k worth of gear on the stage. Let us know if you are going budget or boutique or vintage when you play out live.
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[@DonaldMohrMusic]

A musician is someone who puts $5000 of equipment into a $500 car to drive 100 miles for a $50 gig

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

lol

[@jblooz2371]

Spot on point. Plus he's on an expired tag.

[@ptg2662]

😂

[@CaptHiltz]

Is that 100 miles one way or round trip? If the car is a Saturn and it's round trip then no problem. Any other $500 car, I would be worried.

[@robertyboberty]

Stop attacking me

[@FRCMoto]

I started playing at 56. I've played every day for almost 4 years now. I play to an audience of 1. I love that I can make music. I own some cool guitars and don't really have an end game other than to entertain myself and continue to grow my love for music.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Cool. I used to play in bands years ago (I am 57) and today I love writing and playing on my own. Some day I would like to record my music but what I don't miss is the slog of playing gigs where uncomfortable travel is involved but especially the lifting of heavy equipment such as amps and speakers and monitors etc not to mention the concern that my guitars may get damaged or stolen !

[@nunuvyabusiness8550]

I start at 54. I’m now 56. I’m having the same experience. I wish I had started sooner.

[@FRCMoto]

@@nunuvyabusiness8550 Great to hear!

[@DominickChirchirillo]

Sounds like you're already ahead in this music game. Playing music is about pure joy.

[@jonwright2948]

Love it! Wanna form a band?😂

[@mileswatkinson8135]

A big part of this is the fact that the average bar band are in their 40s and 50's. When I played the bar circuit we were all in our 20's and had yet to aquire any expensive guitars.

[@PapajamaJoe]

People who shame other people’s gear, claiming that they don’t deserve it, are probably just reflecting their own insecurities. Most people are not working guitarists - we’re people who play guitar as a hobby, or an expressive outlet, or a personal goal. Folks have no idea if they worked themselves to the bone for decades and decided to spend their well-earned money on good gear. Or if that vintage guitar is a family heirloom, or if that relic’d piece inspires them to learn a new hobby in retirement. Just play your heart out. Let the judge gatekeepers engage in their own mental gymnastics. Besides, if you stick it out with guitar, it might actually be more cost-effective if you buy a higher-end guitar that you’ll keep forever than buying half a dozen ones as you progress in your journey.

[@matthewdavis8934]

You've convinced me, my band is going to do full stacks at O'Donnells Pub this Saturday!

[@ehiracheta]

Sooooo...did you do it?! I hope you did! lol.

[@matthewdavis8934]

@@ehiracheta Unfortunately, not this time...but! It is on the agenda to do!

[@Scott__C]

Yeah, but stacks of what? Marshalls or the cheap Crate stacks from the 80s? lol

[@KJA4122]

Just started learning guitar - I am 69. I bought my dream guitars because why not? I LOVE them, love to play them and love to show them to people. I have had comments that they are way too good for a beginner and I will never be able to get the best out of them. I figure - they will coax the best out of ME. Worth it in my mind. And when I am gone - my grandson and granddaughter will have some pretty cool guitars if they want to play.

[@mikedr1549]

I'm sitting here looking at 5 figures worth of gear in my home office that never leaves my home office and I don't feel bad about it at all!!

[@RByrne]

Lol, same here. Ive got guitars I bought 3 months ago and have yet to play.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

I don't blame you. Over the years I had equipment being ruined due to other certain band members rough treatment never mind the equipment ending up being stolen or damaged due to travel or accident .

[@mvenuti1980]

Exactly.

[@jasondorsey7110]

Who really needs 30 basses?! This guy!

[@TheOriginalRealist]

After having some pricey gear stolen off stage about 20 years ago I stopped taking the nice stuff out of the house and almost always bring out my cheapest guitar to gigs. Ironically because I’ve spent the most time with it over the past two decades my cheapest guitar is easily my favorite now, haha.

[@Mpcoluv]

My favorite comments I heard as a bar band guitarist. While playing a Zion, “too bad you can’t afford a fender”, while playing a real 1952 ES-5 “I didn’t know the made ES-5 relics”, while playing a RI strat through a TS-9 and a old Blackface super reverb “I own the same rig and mine does not sound like that”.

[@BizarrePudding]

I've never been a great player but until I heard people talking about it, it never occured to me that I didn't "deserve" good guitars and amps... I have always just bought the best stuff I could afford and that helped me sound the way I wanted to

[@whiskybravo4648]

I’ve heard that before too, it stems from jealousy. If you can afford it and it makes you happy, who gives a shit what irrelevant people say.

[@jackhaugh]

@@whiskybravo4648There’s a flip side to that. I used to play in a band with three other guys. We were all working stiffs except one guy that was a stay at home dad. None of us had any money to speak of. I eventually got an advanced practice medical degree and a huge increase in pay, nearly twice what I was earning before. I had never had a really appreciable amount of money before that, in fact I was pretty broke most of my life. Had to drop out of college and join the Army. Once I started making all this money, I started buying all sorts of gear. I mean a U.S. made Fender or Gibson every month, then amps and effects. These guys were still broke, and thought I was rubbing their noses in it, and they eventually kicked me out for being too pretentious about gear. I’m sitting here in my studio now looking around. I’ve got 17 guitars, a bass, a mandolin, a violin, 2 electric sitars, 4 tube amps, more pedals than I know what to do with, and a bunch of percussion instruments including a full trap set. I get where they were coming from. I’m actually not a tremendous guitar player, but I certainly enjoy all the gear that I do have. I’ve worn the finish off of a Les Paul, a tele, and a Strat, and wore a hole through a Martin acoustic a la Willie Nelson.

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Yup, I was in the boat of being a bit nervous really playing certain guitars. I got a dream guitar, a m2m '54 LP Custom in white and I was afraid to damage it at first. Finally decided I bought it to play and have been gigging it for the past few months, it's covered in pick scratches and marks and I love it. Adding my own wear patterns, it's a never sell so it doesn't matter I'm just enjoying it.

[@bigmikeyz0071]

Dang that is my dream guitar as well so congrats. For now I have Eastman sb54v/ltd that is a amazing guitar. They are very underrated especially for the cost. They are all handmade with top notch craftsmanship and they only use high end components like cts, gotoh, Lallar and Seymour Duncan. It has all the vintage specs like the long neck tenon, one piece body, top and neck. The only difference in spec from a Gibson is that it has a one piece flamed maple top under the ebony finish instead of being a all mahogany body. It even has a set of Seymour Duncan 54’ custom shop staple/p90 pickups. Someday I’ll get my Gibson 54’

[@whiskybravo4648]

Taking my Collings guitar and my Two Rock to a dive bar this weekend! Going to have to fight for my life to get out of there with my gear, worth it!!

[@JimThomi]

As long as they’re having fun, why not? Who is “that” good anyway? Have fun! This is your life.

[@DominickChirchirillo]

This was a great video. I think a lot of this has to do with age. Like when I was a teenager in the mid 90s we played what ever we could afford or what we could get for Christmas. So we played Lotus guitars and peavey bandits or crate amps. Now 30 years later were all adults with jobs and when I get together with people most are able to afford and play Les Paul Standards and MIA Telecasters and stuff. I still have and use my peavey bandit. I wish I still had that Lotus Strat.

[@buddylobos5277]

Recent Jared James NIchols interview he said, somebody stole his pedal board with an original Gold KLON pedal.($7-10K?) off the stage after he set up but prior to playing. He was able to track it because he had a tracking chip in the board. He traced it to a guys car who denied having it. POLICE came and he got it back. Not a bad idea. If you can track your dog why not your gear?

[@Shysleeves]

I just received the Fender Final Fantasy XIV Stratocaster which I am using to learn guitar on. I've had it for a day and the nicest thing is I've not felt on the side let alone fret sprout and the price tag alone is enough convincing to stick with it, but it's just a work of art that also makes art.

[@joeydisco]

Ha, my live (only) set up when I was young was a Yamaha Pacifica and Peavey Classic 30. Good times.

[@fadeawayinwestla]

Lesson I learned - secure gear before the third beer. Luckily I knew the band after and they held onto my Martin for a couple days.

[@stuartp8658]

The Sydney Australia I grew up in was such a different ecosystem from the US. Our selection of guitars, amps and pedals was extremely limited (and expensive). You played whatever you had and if you could get more than a gig a month you were doing well.

[@matthewtayloryowieresearch1912]

I'll say Stuart P, I was born & bred in Surry Hills, Randwick & Newtown now I live in Buderim QLD. I'm 53 & started playing in 1979. We weren't poor but we were no way near millionaires either, work was easy to get in the 80's & 90's, and despite the huge choice in stores / shops / vendors of musical instruments etc the prices were sky-high by comparison to US UK & EU prices. This goes for guitars amps pedals & accessories etc. E.g. I recall buying a Roland JC120 2x10 Jazz Chorus solid-state amp for $900 second-hand in 1989 & a Yamaha SA-500 double-cut with f-holes (I'm a total f-hole myself!) & humbuckers cost me $800 second-hand in 1990. This is extortion, extreme gouging, even WAY back in those days. Most of the best QLD music stores are in Brisbane being the capital, but the biggest music store in QLD Mooloolaba Music is my nearest & ONLY place I can buy strings gear etc without travelling 100kms or more!?. Seriously bra. Brisbane is just 34 suburbs looking for a city, an over-grown less-educated Parramatta on steroids, Coolangatta to Noosa Heads it's ok but anything West or North of that you got next to nothin'. Sure the prices in Australia do get pretty wild here absurd rip-offs are common but the vast range of great music stores owned & run by pro's who know wtf they are doing / talking about in Sydney is something money can't buy - it isn't simply the number & amount of shops & gear / guitars available - it is the staff which make or break a music shop. Music pro's in music stores is A MUST FFSakes?.. Oz is always gonna get the rough end of the economic pineapple straight up the proverbial jacksey sans-lubricant when it comes to music gear & such (despite being one of the richest countries on Earth? how does this happen? please explain?) the exchange rate? Blatant gouging? Ursury? It is a FACT OF LIFE all the bees knees, lizards gizzards & ducks nuts of music stores are ALL IN SYDNEY if you live in Australia. Honestly, I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself right now, I do miss all those great Sydney stores which I visited so often they could have charged me rent. One thing is for sure I can say almighty Christ help anyone North of Noosa Heads if they are a musician of any kind / type / stripe / variety / species.. the utter dearth of music shops is real, the choices bleak few & far between, the further North - the more insane & outrageous the prices get too.🎶💲 ☮Peace, respect & be nice to ya missus, savvy? I really miss Sydney, mate!🎸 🦘Didjabringyabongalong Station, Buderim QLD, Land of Oz🪃

[@gohjohan]

And that's why Reverb is a saviour. I have good bargains now and then.

[@everynotecountsofficial]

I did a variety show with my 4 year old son where we both “played” guitar together. The cost of the amps, guitars, and pedals was north of $6k. Why? Because 1. My less expensive equipment was out of town, and 2. I was more comfortable playing my part with a wider neck (requiring my $2.5k guitar). It was fun. We made memories. 5/5 would recommend.

[@michaelmyers4176]

My Mother grew up in Corbin Kentucky where the first KFC was started. I’ve been there several times throughout the years. So random he brought that up. Lol

[@216trixie]

I've gigged recently with my great-grandpa's 1877 banjo, a 1923 Gibson mandolin and a 1969' SG.

[@seanbarker4610]

It doesn't matter to me what guitar someone plays, as long as it sounds good!

[@michaelpacinus242]

Slutty opinion but ok

[@dumbguy9386]

I've got nice guitars but I don't want to be that guy at the open mic. OTOH if you don't use it why have it? That said when I buy that Emerald I'm totally using it.

[@larryzink8978]

Watching this is my daily smiles, hugs and cheek pinches. Mucho gra.

[@toddkissinger1440]

I’m 64 years old. Started playing 3 years ago. Have about twenty guitars and love playing for just my wife and myself everyday.

[@downhillblur708]

You are a lucky man!

[@jamesrichardson1901]

Bar band vet, up to 170 gigs per year at our peak. Guitars and amps were all bought used. Usual rig was a Washburn super strat and a Mexican Tele through a Mesa Nomad 45. Covered a lot of tonal ground, everything from Tennessee Waltz to hair metal. The audience doesn't care what you're playing through as long as it sounds good.

[@larryallen1093]

There used to be a bar band around Houston and one of their crowd pleaser songs was titled “I steal guitars”. It was about a guy who stole expensive guitars when the band took a break. Because of that I only take my glarry to the gig. Nobody ever steals it.

[@austinsandefer649]

That is so right. It's never too late. 🎸 🇺🇸 👍👍.

[@seanbrooks2583]

I have a few handwired amps and 2 core model PRS. when i go to jam or play out , i take the PCB deluxe reverb reissue and a PRS SE.

[@billc3043]

I agree! Buy the gear you want and love and enjoy it. It’s all about having fun.

[@triplelindys]

I have both a Strat and a Tele made in Mexico. I had a pickup issue in the Strat finally a few years ago, so I had some Seymour Duncan SSL's put in and it sounds and feels amazing. I have a PRS CE24 that I would be hard pressed to take to a gig, if I'm honest. It's the best guitar I've ever owned and played, but it was also over $2K and I'd hate for anything to happen to it.

[@thomaskrueger1728]

Thanks for this video. I have been hesitant to bring out the guitar I have wanted for a long time, my J45, to an open mike. I know it's just for fun and to see if I can get any better.

[@Funkybassuk]

Play it, man. Your J45 will sound just right at the open mic (or anywhere). 👍🏽

[@ehiracheta]

When I play live I use my Diezel D-moll, and high end guitars, including my Private stocks. I also lend my band mates my high end guitars, amps and bass. Everything still looks fresh and new after a gigging several times a month for almost two years with this setup.

[@216trixie]

Relicing is for fakes.

[@Kennethparks77]

Started playing at 32. Mostly only jam at open mics. Everyone has super cool and expensive equipment. After 12 years I was able to get some nice gear to play and show off. I bought an Eric Clapton American Strat. OMG it plays like butter! And I have a boutique 40 watt amp combo. It was based off the Princeton Reverb. At one open mic, someone backed into a Les Paul Standard. It fell and the headstock broke off. It was almost as bad as seeing someone die.

[@georgejasper8794]

I loved my two Fender Mex Strats - main and backup. A Fender amp with a 12. Couple pedals. We killed!

[@Exposing-the-truth]

I play my masterbuilt at all gigs big or small

[@glenkepic3208]

Last time out, first gen Cyber Twin. '05, $6oo. still works.

[@yankeepeters2270]

We were the house band at a rough club. I used to chain my amp head to the cabinet to make it harder to steal, after losing an amp to theft.

[@clockwork914]

Was the club called the Double Deuce?😆

[@Jesse_Sutton]

I saw a punk show at a college student union when I was a teenager. The headliners played Ibanez gear through Peaveys, or something like that, but for some reason, the opening act's guitarist, who wasn't even that good, was up there with PRS (before the SE line came out, mind you) and some kind of 60's amp (don't recall the brand) plugged into some antique cabinet with a vintage Leslie speaker on top. It was AWESOME. I mean, the band was kinda weak, but the guitar player's gear, that was great.

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

I gigged for decades in the two biggest east coast cities and the guys always brought their A gear to the shows. Often times it was the only gear they owned. Sure, once in a while something got dropped or scratched but anyone was welcome to sit in on my vintage pre CBS Fender for a tune or two... I don't think I knew guys who hoarded their 'best gear' at home???

[@IPLAYLOUD]

I have done many gigs with a Fender Modelling amp and a slightly less than $1000 Reverend Guitar or Danelectro RI AND some with my Magnatone Twilighter and Gretsch Roundup, Metropolitans, Epi Dwight Trash, o r other higher-end guitars. Depends on my mood and the gig itself. Always fun!!

[@stevekannes89]

Livin the dream guys! Just living the dreams! 👍🎸🎤

[@danhule]

DONT EVER STOP!

[@MikeS4628]

In the 90s when I gigged constantly I built 2 identical partscasters for live. My other guitars were USA Fenders, Gibson and custom Carvin guitars. Now when I gig, there's a bar tier system in my head. Some venues I'll take the nice stuff to because I like to play it. Some bars have bands but they're not music bars. They're drinking and fighting bars that happens to have a band. My $200 non-name brand strats go do those gigs now. I've seen gear get crunched in places that don't have stages. You're just put in a corner and anyone can just walk over. Drunk people want to "jam" and one woman started shadow boxing our singers Ric. I'll take my nice stuff to a music venue where people are there to see music. The cheaper stuff goes to the little dive bars.

[@bks252]

Back when I was a teen playing, all we had was cheap copy’s of better guitars and mediocre amps and crappy PA system. It’s the best we could afford. We still had a ball playing. Now I’m in my early 60’s and I own around 30 guitars and 5 or 6 amps, great PA, lights, great pedal board and the whole works. I still have the same amount of fun when we play. I take 4 or 5 guitars every gig, not because I have to but because I want to play them. I love my guitars and they’re made for playing, not hanging on a wall. I only have 1 guitar I won’t play. It’s a Martin about 20 years old that George Jones signed for me. I don’t let anyone touch it. But that’s a very unique guitar. All the others are game on! Use them and enjoy them. Great video.

[@mikebri5274]

My "modus operandi" for many years now has been to purchase used guitars made overseas and upgrade them as time and money allow. It seems to have worked out well for me as I don't worry about bringing an Ibanez RG 400 series guitar to a gig knowing that it only cost me about $350 to buy. After I've upgraded it (pickups and electronics mostly) perhaps I'm into it for $1,000 including paying my local guitar repair guy to do the work for me. Still a lot better than bringing a $4,500 PRS out to a bar gig in my humble opinion and arguably sounds nearly as good to my ears.

[@RByrne]

Theres a guy at the beach here in Toronto who plays Cat Stevens covers on the street with a Martin OM42.

[@mvenuti1980]

When I played out, I had no money and played cheap Jacksons and Kramers through a Crate. Now that I don’t play out I have all the stuff I wanted as a young guy. I’m still having fun. If my friends come over, they’re welcome to pick up and plug into whatever they want.

[@go_ham_sam9902]

The only time something got broken at a bar gig it was a $250 ibanez acoustic bass 😂. Someone dropped it and pushed the input jack through the body. Still worked. I normally have $3-$5k worth of gear with me and I never even think about lol. Play what you love

[@brianmillsmusic2570]

I play 2 or 3 shows a week usually, ALWAYS ALWAYS bring my PRS 594, custom shop stuff, all my favorites.. Boogie amp, all the fun stuff, because it makes me happy! I have a wonderful Heritage Custom Core h150 I bought about 2 years ago, and played it literally nonstop. It’s definitely got it’s wear and tear! But that’s what they’re for. Play those beauties.

[@smelltheglove2038]

I do the same. I bring out my custom shop 335 to the outdoor reggae shows I do during the summer. I also bring my drip edge vibrolux, and a space echo along with about a grand and a half of pedals. The organ player doesn’t bring his B-3 though. But he brings a 4K Nord stage 3 he just got. Our bass player plays a Mexican P-bass ran into our PA. Saxophone guy has us all beat though. Is sax is upwards of 25k, it’s a hand-me-down from his grandmother of all people. She used to play in a string band in the Mummers here in Philly. Brass and symphonic instruments put our guitars to shame in the cost departments.

[@honnaconna7312]

You don’t play the pubs I used to play 🤣

[@honnaconna7312]

You don’t play the pubs I used to play 🤣

[@honnaconna7312]

You don’t play the pubs I used to play 🤣

[@honnaconna7312]

You don’t play the pubs I used to play 🤣

[@paulfromjupiter]

Saw a guy using a Diezel VH4 half stack with half a dozen guitars - Gibsons and a couple of high end Vs - at a tiny bar. There was no stage, they just moved the pool table out of the way. Singer/rhythm guitarist was playing a Squire through a Katana.

[@dfwlistener7593]

You guys are great....for real!!

[@larrocovarry9027]

Also " a friend" of mine, used a 56 las paul at gigs , back in 80s, as you expect during loadup the stage area at town fair was at least a block away !!! U guessed it !!! That geetar got up an ran away , never to be seen again ...

[@largeeng]

Yes I will be out tonight with my R9 and 70s Twin Reverb in a tiny pub. I do try and rotate my gear (too many guitars) so that can justify the ownership (to myself), the audience likely will not hear a difference whether I play my Revstar, Tele, etc or my R9. I might get £30 share out of the fee (we have a lot of people in the band lol) but we will have a blast, and make some memories playing with good friends.

[@charlesbrown-ik2yu]

I'm OLD enough to remember playing EVERY gig (bar or otherwise) with 2 guitars (6 & 12-string) through one amp (usually a Twin Reverb), and 2 pedals...Vox Wah wah, and Vox Tone bender! That was IT, for years!! And I was totally OK with that. Of course, back then, you could "crank it up" to that sweet spot, so your tone was great, without pedals. Rarely allowed that luxury, these days!

[@Canadianwheelchairguitar]

Way back when I was playing live, we were on a bill with 2 other bands we had never met or heard of, the first band was sketchy to say the least. I forgot my Epiphone Explorer in the case on stage behind a bunch of amps at the end of the night. We stayed to hear the other band & took off after 2 songs to a friends house to play cards. I looked up and shouted across the table to my brother "My Explorer is still on the stage!" We took off ASAP. Luckily the other band was still packing up & the crowd was just leaving. Dodge a bullet on that one, the Explorer was my only electric backup. Never trusted the other band, they swapped out a few members & changed their. They fooled us until we dug a little deeper. Found out who they were 2 days before our show with them & a band from Ontario, Canada that we instantly bonded with!

[@pierheadjump]

⚓️ Thanks Casino 😎 isn’t that the whole idea? Get the gear out to breathe. I’m sure those in the room, the audience, that have an idea WHAT that gear means & how committed those guys are, will in itself generate an enthusiasm for the performance 😎

[@robraleigh8614]

I haven't seen a guitar DESTROYED at a bar gig, but I have seen major dents and scratches happen to nice guitars there. Even major damage to hard cases. Same goes for band practices. I've also seen major damage happen at church services (mostly band-member-inflicted). Know of major destruction at school performances also. Many factors must be considered when anticipating the potential hazards of a performance. If I bring my nicer instruments, it has to be a situation where I can have total control (or at least as much as can be reasonably expected).

[@PapajamaJoe]

I haven’t had KFC for maybe a decade and I just had to go there last night - and that’s why your videos are so relevant! 😂

[@smelltheglove2038]

I was thinking about getting a bucket last night but ended up grilling burgers. I’m in the same boat, it’s probably been over a decade. I think tonight is gonna be a bucket night.

[@PapajamaJoe]

@@smelltheglove2038 haha yeah man!

[@BrandonOutside]

Play it if ya got it! 🤘

[@real_fjcalabrese]

Great points.

[@johnwashburn3793]

About a week ago I was in the local brew pub talking guitars with a guy that I just met. Before long I had run home and grabbed a couple of Martins and we were jamming on the patio. Two other people went to get their guitars and happy hour was very happy until the paid musician showed up and ran us off. They sent me off with a free 6 pack.

[@jacobpittman1996]

…and also with you. I bought a Godin xtsa (koa of course) after waiting 2+ years, & I feel funny. I only play at church these days, but I stepped up from my 22 yr-old epiphone dot and my squier affinity strat I’ve had for the last 7yrs. I actually got paid to play on those things. Now, I got this fancy-schmancy guitar for my 2-3x/mo. Volunteer gig. Feeling strange.

[@mitch_smith]

I'm 43, bought my first guitar about 3 months back. Cheap yamaha acoustic....then a fender tele (mexican) and then a gibson les paul.... I regret nothing! I'm absolute ass at guitar, but having a damn blast.

[@DaveMullinsPlaysBass]

It's like dating a supermodel and always staying at home.

[@mikenoble5049]

I play my $600.00 Godin out usually but one night I played my No.1 Heritage and yes people noticed it and commented on it. It never left my sight.

[@Aartist1]

I am that 66 year old that started playing again after around 40 years. I would say that in the months since, I have my own personal advice to buy good gear before you get talked into buying moderate beginner type stuff. I bought a plywood guitar that sounds good and the sound sold me but at times it sounds dull. It was frustrating to say the least. I never had that problem in my younger years with the dullness of a guitar sound in an acoustic. Some of my muscle memory came back but most did not. I didn’t keep playing because my goal was never to play in front of folks. The reason I came back is because the past year I have had so many lyrics for my own songs come popping into my head for some reason. Just buy the good stuff and don’t be afraid to ding it up because the sound is way better

[@ryangunwitch-black]

I wonder if maybe Bonamossa had something to do with the shift in thinking about leaving your nice stuff at home….

[@chuckcarey]

The gear I take depends on the band I am with and the venue I don't think about price I want my gear to fit the gig expensive or cheap as long as it sounds great!

[@CraigGriffiths]

I remember my local shop had a strat which was $1500 in 1980 (last year of high school). My mum was earning $350 a week. A little over a months salary. Guitars are not as expensive these days.

[@jasondorsey7110]

1980 was fender's low point too, the squiers made 2 years later were better for much less

[@brucehayes7251]

High school finished for me in 88, a Squier Strat( Japanese) was an object to be lusted after. No way I was in a position to buy a real fender. First amp was my brother's gorilla ,peavey solid states at school and a pretty good Yamaha Strat and precision copy.

[@CraigGriffiths]

@@brucehayes7251 I never got to own a real Fender till 2020. I would just go look at it.

[@CraigGriffiths]

@@jasondorsey7110 for their low point an 1980 strat would cost a pretty penny these days. LOL When did the MIM kick in. The MIMs I have are great.

[@brucehayes7251]

@@CraigGriffiths I still don't own a `real' fender,a couple of mim strats,a whole lot of Strat/ tele shaped objects from an Australian shop and quite a collection of nice amps. Not to mention my bad monkey,got it stashed for retirement (ha ha) SO Much good gear that's reasonable

[@matthewdeheus3124]

I've seen one destroyed when the guys room mate showed up to collect unpaid rent. Instead he grabbed the guitar and threw it out the front door into the street. I also saw a drunk run around the bar cackling swinging my buddies 12 string ES 335 around in the air above his head, cackling the whole time. The next gig he had an $800 ax.

[@terrylawrence1893]

I take around 10k in guitar and mandolin (Martin and Collings) when I play with my Bluegrass Group...

[@Lovell93]

That's Corbin, KY where the KFC is. It's about 2 hours away from me where I live here in KY!😃

[@jonadavies]

Lint roller for Baxter!

[@TheWelhaven]

Played a 1994 Flying V for many, many years. Then I bought and sold a lot of high end guitars for 6-7 years (I also sold the V I owned for 23 years). Now I’m back playing a 1995 Flying V.

[@LA3Music]

I had a big-time sense of déjà vu with this video at a couple of points

[@smelltheglove2038]

I ate probably too much acid at a phish show once and the entire second set was one deja vu experience after another. It was seriously intense. Proper h Hog Farm lavender crystal that was laid on blotter the day before. Yeah, I’ll take a window pane, I told my buddy. Strongest four hits I ever took. Man, I mis the late 90s.

[@dennism7532]

Because I can easily control what guitar I buy, based on country of origin, I choose to not buy Chinese guitars or amps. You cannot always avoid Chinese products but when I can, I do.

[@charlesbolton8471]

With the attitude most people have today towards guitars and other gear I’m starting to think it might not be too long until China becomes the only choice.

[@downhillblur708]

​@@charlesbolton8471 I know you are exaggerating but there will always be passionate and dedicated craftsmen making guitars around the world for the discerning player.

[@davedavid7061]

I know it's not the same ,but I saw Jerry Cantrell live a couple ofweeks ago. I was excited to see some of his iconic guitars.

[@jeremypowell6707]

That’s awesome! G&L and Gibson right?!

[@davedavid7061]

@@jeremypowell6707 he had the one with the honeycomb and pinup girl, the white G&L with the black star. He played on of his signature Epiphone LPs in white, and another white Gibson LP-a custom Ithink in white

[@jeremypowell6707]

@@davedavid7061 sounds awesome

[@swaffy101]

If it makes me feel good when I play it, it’s getting played. It just so happens that expensive guitars feel good to me. As long as my bills are paid and my wife and kids are taken care of and happy, I’ll buy any guitar I want….as long as my wife says ok lol

[@j.r.g3548]

So what you're saying is...if you're going to travel with expensive guitars you should load your truck up with as many catalytic converters as you can to draw the would-be guitar thieves to the real prize

[@ptg2662]

Was reading a forum just now, regarding amp prices ( Marshall) , guys complain that in the States the price is almost double for Marshalls coparing to the UK. Gear is expensive + the inflation. Same I think with US-made guitars, in Europe you can buy a second hand Volkswagen Golf for the price of a Custom Shop 😂

[@mikebauer6917]

I once saw a teenager playing a D-28 in central park with a hat out for donations. It was misting rain. I thought his dad was going to have a heart attack tonight and gave him $10.

[@alexwoolridge94aw]

I'm currently making $200 a gig, as well as each member of my band but my rig alone costs more than the rest of the bands entire gear arsenal. I bring a $12000 rig and only bring two guitars an amp and 3 pedals. 2 Les Pauls, 1 of two Magnatones and the 3 pedals. I know it's crazy to bring the expensive stuff at the gigs I play but I'm careful. I don't base my playing experience off of what others are doin. I play what I love. Gotta play the cool gear out. My justification takin them out is because regardless if i was gigging or not, id have bought it anyway. another note, how much money are in the bands cables as a whole?

[@stevenheath741]

Had a guy come and wanted to play my Strat that had just been set up beautifully and I said no ,but the other guitarist in the band gave me a dirty look and “You can play mine” And then this guy beat the shit out of his tele and managed the Unbelievable he made his Tele out of tune for the rest of the night and that guitar was never the same . Don’t let people you don’t know play your guitar Period

[@gohjohan]

I let people play my guitars and they sound better than me!

[@Mr.Owl9]

WOW... I wanna work at Casino Guitars, after hearing what Johnathan is using sound like they pay really well...

[@michaeldelisle3100]

You've not seen guitars damaged at a bar gig? Whew. I saw a multi-guitar stand get knocked over at an open mic recently , severely damaging a friend's nice Takamine acoustic and actually damaging my Telecaster (an aftermarket S1 switch got bent - you can't really hurt a Tele). Worse than that, though, was when an overzealous player/friend scratched hell out of the soundhole of my Collings CJ35 a while back. My bad for letting it happen, but things like that do happen, sometimes quicker than you can react to prevent it. So shit does indeed happen. 🙄

[@K-Gits]

My band was hosting an open mic at a local bar and all were welcome to play whether they brought a guitar or not. On one particular night, I allowed some dude to play my USA Deluxe Strat to jam a few tunes. The guy began grabbing the trem block with his hands (no bar) and dive bombing completely out of context to the music like an ass. I told him to take it easy and play one more song while I went outside to get some air. The dude got pissed off and smashed my guitar several times into a duffle bag full of cymbal stands and split. Unfortunately, the board player that witnessed this was to frightened to confront the jerk. From that night forward, I only brought a Squier Tele for people to use. These days, I leave my Gibson ES-335 at home and bring the Epiphone if I think it's a sketchy situation.

[@MrSmiley1964]

I always take my Black Strat originally owned by David Gilmor (Autographed by Jimi Hendrix in Cocaine) through my Dumble ODS #001 with my Klon #3 with my crappy old cable that's been stomped, slammed in the door, set on fire and chewed on by my dog Elmer.

[@ctcards2636]

I bring expensive gear to smaller venues. My amp is what changes tho, not guitar. If its just a bar date 15-20 watts is all i really need (Blues Jr). Anything bigger and i bring a 30+ watt (Orange Tremlord). For outdoor festivals ill bring my SMS Classic Tube Preamp rack (Twin Reverb tone) into a ART SLA-1 into a 2x12 (vertical) w/ JBL e120s. Guitar wise i bring my Travis Bean TB1000S and one of my Jerry Garcia Wolf guitars to every and any show i do. If its acoustic, i bring my nice US made older Ovations. I occasionally will just bring one of my cheaper guitars if its like an open mic or something. But if im playing 3+ hours, i am playing my babies ;-) I bought them to play ;-)

[@Funkybassuk]

I’d love to check out the first KFC. Colonel Sanders was a pretty impressive guy - inspiring for anyone who feels like a late starter. Colonel Sanders started KFC with his retirement cheques.

[@BillAltman]

gigged most of the 00s w a refin 58 jr

[@tjrenn]

Corbin, KY.

[@kevinrogers5534]

I bet he was in the Waco area when they jacked the cc

[@wrobinson1702]

My experience has been that guitars get stolen, but amplifiers are destroyed because either: 1) they somehow overheat and explode/catch on fire; 2) somebody spills beer/whiskey/whatever in the electronics

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

And effects pedals get crushed by inconsiderate weighty individuals who stand on them !

[@jasondorsey7110]

Love that "survivor" gear that's obviously lived a life of its own already, much more authentic than some artificially relic'd overpriced custom shop piece that hasn't been exposed to cigarette smoke or gaffer tape, if I can't feel some genuine history inside it the elitist cork sniffers can keep it

[@newgunguy4176]

Those guys keep sales up.

[@bobbyhancock3347]

Bar gigs are the only constant when you’re a musician. At some point everyone plays them. Even the famous guys in Nashville pop in to the bars from time to time just to get that rush. It’s good filler between the good gigs. I like nice things. I had my share of shitty guitars. So, whether I’m playing a studio session, a KZbin video, a church gig, a bar, a festival, or whatever.. I’ll bring my nice guitar.

[@jed1166]

I don’t buy “blingy” guitars, so I don’t overpay for them. I take great sounding guitars to bar gigs and open mics… and I let others play them if they want… $2,000 to $3,500 is my range… not cheap, but not over the top….(does a D-45 really sound better than a D-28? Not to me). I go to one weekly open mic, and one guy always brings a Taylor Presentation Series that sounds great! Never occurs to him to leave it at home! NICE!

[@stevequarcini4637]

I work hard for my guitars and equipment, would never think of playing something else. I want others to see and hear it, no matter how much I suck. Lol

[@anthonypanneton923]

The Beauty Pageant - I love it! I have to tell this story: In the late '70s (1978 maybe?) I went to see Judas Priest playing at a small club in Ocean City, MD. it musta been their first US tour, and this was probably some sorta "warm-up" gig for them. I'd heard their first album and thought they'd be worth checking out. OMG!!! they were SO awful! they had brand new full Marshall stacks (in a small club and on a small stage) and the most ridiculous arena rock outfits (platform boots - remember that?). but up close and personal they couldn't play their way out of a wet paper bag. it was really bad. the local band opening act was WAY better. when JP came on, we couldn't stop laughing. after about 4 songs we got up and left. it was awful. thank goodness bands like that have backing tracks now. Around the same time and at the same club, I saw The Outlaws (original lineup w/Hughie Thomasson, etc.). Now THOSE guys could play! each guitar player (3 of them) used a single 4x12 cabinet.

[@brutallyremastered4255]

Fantastic!

[@mattsmitchger259]

Yeah. They're made to be played, seen, and heard. I don't understand the controversy. 🤔